Once upon a time, advent calendars were just an excuse to have one piece of chocolate every day leading up to Christmas. We’ve since seen brands cover pretty much everything, from wine advent calendars to the more obscure ones involving herb seeds and screwdrivers. 

We love a challenge, and that’s what Shimmy is all about: an iOS app where people can “unwrap” a daily short workout for the next 25 days. Each challenge is 7 minutes long, so no “I don’t have the time” arguments here. Users get a different workout each day, with routines ranging from Bollywood cardio, 80’s aerobics, and boxing to yoga and breathwork.

The fun part: Once you complete your daily challenge, the trainer leads you to create a looping GIF of that day’s signature move. The end result is a fun, sharable memento. The makers behind Shimmy also share that during beta testing they’ve noticed that having everyone do the same workout every day sparks conversations among friend groups. Can’t wait to complain about those jumping jacks collectively. 

Why we love it: According to the makers, a non-profit organization, Shimmy has been built, tested, and launched in less than 90 days. That includes filming 33 fitness videos. What’s more, they’re donating $25 to a charity for each person who completes the 25 workouts by Christmas Day. 

Before you come up with a reason not to do the challenge, see what the community’s health goals are for 2023. Might get you inspired. 

Let the Shimmy team know in the comments if you’ll be moving your body today. 👇

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